Difference between revisions of "Expressing "half" with "ban""

(Created page with " {{Grammar Box}} {{Stub}} 半(ban4) means "half". “半”之所以有点难,是因为这里涉及到量词的使用。 == Standard Structure == <div class="jiegou"> Nu...")
 
 
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{{Grammar Box}}
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The Chinese word 半 (bàn) means "half." That's simple enough, but what can get slightly tricky is the rules for how it combines with [[measure word]]s.
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== Basic Usage ==
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 +
=== Used Alone ===
 +
 +
==== Structure ====
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 +
You'll need to use a [[measure word]] (Measure Word) in this structure.
 +
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
 +
半 + Measure Word + Noun
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</div>
  
{{Grammar Box}}
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==== Examples ====
{{Stub}}
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 +
The [[measure word]]s are also indicated below.
 +
 
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<div class="liju">
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* <em>半</em> <strong>个</strong> 小时 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>gè</strong> xiǎoshí</span><span class="trans">half an hour</span>
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* <em>半</em> <strong>个</strong> 月 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>gè</strong> yuè</span><span class="trans">half a month</span>
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* <em>半</em> <strong>碗</strong> 米饭 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>wǎn</strong> mǐfàn</span><span class="trans">half a bowl of rice</span>
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* <em>半</em> <strong>瓶</strong> 酒 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>píng</strong> jiǔ</span><span class="trans">half a bottle of liquor</span>
 +
* <em>半</em> <strong>份</strong> 炒面 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>fèn</strong> chǎomiàn</span><span class="trans">half a serving of chow mein</span>
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 +
</div>
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=== With a Number ===
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When it's more than just a half, then 半 (bàn) comes after the [[measure word]] instead of before. It's the difference between "half an hour" and "an hour and a half."
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
* <em>半</em> <strong>个</strong> 小时 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>gè</strong> xiǎoshí</span><span class="trans">half an hour</span>
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* 一 <strong>个</strong> <em>半</em> 小时 <span class="pinyin">yī <strong>gè</strong> <em>bàn</em> xiǎoshí</span><span class="trans">an hour and a half</span>
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
The order is actually basically the same as what we do in English (we just don't have so many pesky measure words to keep track of in English!).
 +
 
 +
==== Structure ====
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
 
 +
Number + Measure Word + 半 + Noun
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
==== Examples ====
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
* 三 <strong>个</strong> <em>半</em> 小时 <span class="pinyin">sān <strong>gè</strong> <em>bàn</em> xiǎoshí</span><span class="trans">three and a half hours</span>
 +
* 两 <strong>个</strong> <em>半</em> 月 <span class="pinyin">liǎng <strong>gè</strong> <em>bàn</em> yuè</span><span class="trans">two and a half months</span>
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* 一 <strong>斤</strong> <em>半</em> 水果 <span class="expl">One "jin" = 500g</span><span class="pinyin">yī <strong>jīn</strong> <em>bàn</em> shuǐguǒ </span><span class="trans">one and a half jin of fruit</span>
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* 一 <strong>瓶</strong> <em>半</em> 白酒 <span class="pinyin">yī <strong>píng</strong> <em>bàn</em> báijiǔ </span><span class="trans">one and a half bottles of wine</span>
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*  四<strong>块</strong> <em>半</em> 巧克力 <span class="pinyin">sì <strong> kuài</strong> <em>bàn</em> qiǎokèlì </span><span class="trans">four and a half pieces of chocolate</span>
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</div>
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== Notable Exceptions ==
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 +
There are some words that act as their own measure words, notably the time words 天 (tiān), meaning "day," and 年 (nián), meaning "year."
  
半(ban4) means "half". “半”之所以有点难,是因为这里涉及到量词的使用。
+
=== Used Alone ===
  
== Standard Structure ==
+
==== Structure ====
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Number + Measure word + 半 + Noun
+
半 + 天 / 年
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
+
==== Examples ====
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 两个<em>半</em>
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*<em>半</em> <strong>天</strong><span class="pinyin"> <em>bàn</em> <strong>tiān</strong></span><span class="trans">half a day</span>
* 一个<em></em>苹果
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*<em>半</em> <strong>年</strong><span class="pinyin"> <em>bàn</em> <strong>nián</strong></span><span class="trans">half a year</span>
* 三杯<em>半</em>红酒
 
* 一碗<em></em>米饭
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==Exception ==
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Note that you do ''not'' need to use 个 (gè) here; in fact, it's ''wrong'' to do so:
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<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
<ul>
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<li class="x"><em>半</em> <strong>个</strong> 天 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>gè</strong> tiān</span><span class="trans">half a day</span></li>
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<li class="x"><em>半</em> <strong>个</strong> 年 <span class="pinyin"><em>bàn</em> <strong>gè</strong> nián</span><span class="trans">half a year</span></li>
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</ul>
 +
 
 +
</div>
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=== With a Number ===
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 +
天 (tiān) and 年 (nián) aren't the ''only'' words that take this alternate pattern, but they're the two key ones you need to learn first.
  
有两个词不适用于上面的结,是"分"“天”和"年“。这个时候,”半“应该在最后。
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==== Structure ====
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Number + 分天/年 + 半
+
Number + / 年 + 半
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
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====  Examples ====  
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 两天<em>半</em>
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* 两 <strong>天</strong> <em>半</em> <span class="pinyin">liǎng <strong>tiān</strong> <em>bàn</em></span><span class="trans">two and a half days</span>
* 一年<em>半</em>
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* 一 <strong>年</strong> <em>半</em> <span class="pinyin">yī <strong>nián</strong> <em>bàn</em></span><span class="trans">a year and a half</span>
* 三分<em>半</em>
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* 三 <strong>天</strong> <em>半</em> <span class="pinyin">sān <strong>tiān</strong> <em>bàn</em></span><span class="trans">three and a half days</span>
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* 四 <strong>年</strong> <em>半</em> <span class="pinyin">sì <strong>nián</strong> <em>bàn</em></span><span class="trans">four and a half years</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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*[[Structure of times]]
 
*[[Structure of times]]
  
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<!-- Comment out unused headings
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
  
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
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-->
  
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|半|A1|Number + Measure word + 半 + Noun;Number + 分天/年 + 半|两个<em>半</em>月;两天<em>半</em>|grammar point|代码空白}}
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
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{{Basic Grammar|半|A2|Number + Measure Word + 半 + Noun|三 个 <em>半</em> 小时|grammar point|ASGAC1P9}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing quantity}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing quantity}}
 
{{Structure|Numbers and Measure Words}}
 
{{Structure|Numbers and Measure Words}}

Latest revision as of 09:08, 10 April 2019

Chinese-grammar-wiki-ban.jpg

The Chinese word 半 (bàn) means "half." That's simple enough, but what can get slightly tricky is the rules for how it combines with measure words.

Basic Usage

Used Alone

Structure

You'll need to use a measure word (Measure Word) in this structure.

半 + Measure Word + Noun

Examples

The measure words are also indicated below.

  • 小时 bàn xiǎoshíhalf an hour
  • bàn yuèhalf a month
  • 米饭 bàn wǎn mǐfànhalf a bowl of rice
  • bàn píng jiǔhalf a bottle of liquor
  • 炒面 bàn fèn chǎomiànhalf a serving of chow mein

With a Number

When it's more than just a half, then 半 (bàn) comes after the measure word instead of before. It's the difference between "half an hour" and "an hour and a half."

  • 小时 bàn xiǎoshíhalf an hour
  • 小时 bàn xiǎoshían hour and a half

The order is actually basically the same as what we do in English (we just don't have so many pesky measure words to keep track of in English!).

Structure

Number + Measure Word + 半 + Noun

Examples

  • 小时 sān bàn xiǎoshíthree and a half hours
  • liǎng bàn yuètwo and a half months
  • 水果 One "jin" = 500gjīn bàn shuǐguǒ one and a half jin of fruit
  • 白酒 píng bàn báijiǔ one and a half bottles of wine
  • 巧克力 kuài bàn qiǎokèlì four and a half pieces of chocolate

Notable Exceptions

There are some words that act as their own measure words, notably the time words 天 (tiān), meaning "day," and 年 (nián), meaning "year."

Used Alone

Structure

半 + 天 / 年

Examples

  • bàn tiānhalf a day
  • bàn niánhalf a year

Note that you do not need to use 个 (gè) here; in fact, it's wrong to do so:

  • bàn tiānhalf a day
  • bàn niánhalf a year

With a Number

天 (tiān) and 年 (nián) aren't the only words that take this alternate pattern, but they're the two key ones you need to learn first.

Structure

Number + 天 / 年 + 半

Examples

  • liǎng tiān bàntwo and a half days
  • nián bàna year and a half
  • sān tiān bànthree and a half days
  • nián bànfour and a half years

See also